Verso 1:
E A E
Look out, Ma, there's a white boat comin' up the river
A E
With a big red beacon and a flag and a man on the rail
A
I think you'd better call John
G#m A
'cause it don't look like they're here to deliver the mail
G#m7 A
And it's less than a mile away
G#m7 A
I hope they didn't come to stay
G#m A
It's got numbers on the side and a gun
B B
and it's makin' big waves
Instrumental: |A E |A |E A|E |
Verso 2:
E A E
Daddy's gone and my brother's out huntin' in the mountains
A E
Big John's been drinkin' since the river took Emmy Lou
A G#m A
So the powers that be left me here to do the thinkin'
G#m7 A
And I just turned twenty-two
G#m7 A
I was wonderin' what to do
G#m7 A
And the closer they got
B B
The more those feelin's grew
Instrumental
|A E |A |E A|E |
Jam
|E |A |E |E |A |A |E |E |A |
|A |G#m |A |A E |A |E A|E |
Verso 3:
E A E
Daddy's rifle in my hand felt reassurin’
A E
He told me "Red means run, son, and numbers add up to nothin'"
A G#m A
When the first shot hit the dock I saw it comin'
G#m7 A
Raised my rifle to my eye
G#m7 A
Never stopped to wonder why
G#m7 A B B
Then I saw black and my face splashed in the sk--y
Instrumental
|A E |A |E A|E |
e|---------------------|
B|3-3-3--1-0---1-0-----|
G|-----------2-----0---|
D|---------------------|
A|---------------------|
E|---------------------|
Verso 4:
E A E
Shelter me from the powder and the finger
A E
Cover me with the thought that pulled the trigger
A G#m A
Just think of me as one you never figured (out)
G#m7 A
We fade away so young
G#m7 A
So much left undone
G#m7 A B B
Remember me to my love, I know I'll miss h---er
Outro: |A E |A |E A|E |E |